the question is whether it can pass on the house side under the leadership of speaker john boehner. i've talked to a couple of republicans this morning who are fairly optimistic that whatever comes out of the senate, whatever that deal is, it will pass the house this afternoon. although hard-core republican anti-tax folks are not going to vote for it. it still would likely have enough votes to pass. that's at least the mood of some folks i'm talking to today. guys, one of the big questions that's unresolved here was raised on a conference call with ceos arranged by the white house on friday night, on that white house conference call with ceos. one of the ceos asked tim geithner, i'm told by a participant on the call, whether a small deal would be enough to are prevent ratings agencies to downgrade u.s. debt. i'm told by this person on the call that the administration's response to that, they think a small deal would in fact be enough, but they wouldn't speak for the ratings agency. still a big unknown hanging out there, guys. >> and we know about some of the tough conversations we'l